Cobb County, Georgia officials are searching for the remaining suspects who damaged and stole Flock cameras in the county.
According to WSB-TV, one of the cameras stolen was from a Flock camera pole in front of Due West Elementary School.
The vandalizers did not stop there. At the county’s Oregon Park, two Flock cameras were covered with black spray paint, preventing them from recording. Cobb County police conducted an “inventory patrol” to check the other Flock cameras in the area, and found a third camera was vandalized.
As of Sep. 9, only Niccomedo Anan has been charged for the vandalism and has been released from jail. Cobb County police say two other suspects participated and they’re trying to identify them.
Only One Week Later
This string of crimes comes only a week after a man was arrested for setting Flock cameras on fire.
On Sep. 3, Cobb County Police arrested 25-year-old Colby Williams. Two nights prior, authorities responded to a Home Depot in East Cobb County after receiving reports of a fire. When they arrived on the scene, they found that two of the store’s Flock cameras were set ablaze, and one was shot at.
That same night, police found two more burning Flock cameras at East Cobb Park. One of them was melted, and a sticker reading “DEFLOCK” was found on its pole.
Williams seemingly shot projectiles at the cameras to set fire to them, but it is unclear what type.
The McDonough resident was charged on four third-degree arson counts, four second-degree property damage counts, reckless conduct and interference with government property.
Statewide Flock Camera Vandalism
Cases of Flock camera vandalism are not isolated to Cobb County. To the contrary, counties like Lumpkin, Decatur, Dougherty and many others have reported similar incidents.
This string of vandalisms comes as Flock cameras fall under widespread scrutiny.
Flock cameras were designed by Flock Safety, an Automatic License Plate Reader (ALPR) company. The cameras scan cars and license plates and upload the information into a U.S.-wide database law enforcement agencies can look at. The purpose is to track stolen cars, assist cops with investigations, and notify cops of suspicious activity.
Critics Speak Out
Many critics claim ALPRs violate privacy and human rights, and have expressed worries the cameras will be misused by law enforcement.
Others have pointed to errors the technology has made. According to the American Civil Liberties Union, only < 1% of cars scanned by ALPRs are associated with illegal activity, and 1 out of 10 cars’ license plates read by Flock cameras misidentify the state.
Despite the controversy, many have been installed across Georgia in recent months. Finding Flock reports that with 9,844 cameras, Georgia has the third-highest documented number of Flock cameras nationwide.